Suction cleaner



Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT l OFFICE HARRY B. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T 'II-.IE HOOVER COMPANY,`OF NORTH i CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SUOTION CLEANER Application led January 14, 1931. Serial No. 508,563.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and in particular to new nozzle. More specifically the present invenlooking in the directie tion comprises the provision of a new and improved small diameter rotary agitator and the means by which it is removably secured within the suction cleaner nozzle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide new and novel means for rotatably supporting a suction cleaner agitator within the suction cleaner nozzle. Another object is the provision of new and novel supporting means for a small diameter rotary agitator. Still another object is the provision of a small diameter rotary agitator which is rotatably supported by means of stub-'shafts which are rotatably seated within the agitator ends and which are alined by new and` novel means by which the agitator is removably secured within the nozzle.` These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and considering in connection therewith theannexed drawing. ,j

Referring now to the drawing in which a `preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Fig. 1 is a partial `front view of a suction cleaner with the front wall of the nozzle brokenawayand showing an agitator and supporting means constructed in accordance with the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2is a section upon the line 2,-2 of Fig. l;

Fig, 8 is a partial section thru a nozzle n .of the arrows on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; i y v Fig. 4 is a view of a detail comprising one of'the rotatable locking arms;

` Fig. 5 is a view of the-detail comprising one of the seat plates which are secured within the nozzle to the nozzle end walls and which positively aline the contacting agitator stubshafts.

ln the suction cleaner agitator of the rotary type which includes both positive beating, elements and sweeping brushes, in the preferred embodiment, the agitator is supported rotatably upon a shaft which extends longitudnally therethru and beyond the ends thereof to be itself supported at the ends of the nozzle. The tendency in present day suction cleaners is toward small diameter agitators, the yminimum diameter of which has heretofore been definitely limited by the position of the radially extending sweeping brush, which is necessarily carried within the agitator body and of sufficient bristle length to provide resilience and flexibility. With a minimum bristle length re-` quired and with the height of the bristles beyond the surface of the agitator body determined by the height of the rigid beating elements it is clear that in the thru shaft agitator lthe diameter cannot be decreased be,- yond that point at which the inner extremity of the brush, or its seat, contacts the shaft. The desirability of long bristles is understood when it is explained that brush life is materially shortened when the bristle length is decreased beyond a certain point and further the sweeping action is less eiiicient when sufficient` bristle iiexibil-ity is not present. Also the thru supporting shaft has been heretofore considered a requisite as it provides means are also provided bywhich the shafts' are secured firmly in seats which are themselves accurately alined and which function to aline the stub-shafts which they seat. t

Referring again to the drawing, the present invention is disclosed embodied lin a suction cleaner which comprises the usual parte found in a modern suction cleaner of which the nozzle l, the fan chamber 2 with its ex- .haust outlet 3, and the front supporting wheels 4, 4 are shown. The agitator constructed in accordance with the present invention is positioned within the nozzle and extends longitudinally therein as in the usual suction cleaner being rotated yby the driving belt which connects the centrally positioned pulley surface 6 upon the cylindrical agitator body 7 with the rotating shaft of the driving motor for the suction-creating fan within the fan chamber 2. The agitator body 7 is provided with helically-extending rigid protrusions or beaters 8, 8 which extend a fixed distance above Vthe cylindrical. surface of the body being adapted to Contact thesurface covering between the lips of the nozzle 1 and to impart thereto the violent vibration or agitation characteristic of the positive agitation ty e agitator. Carried within the cylindrical body 7, in suitable brush seats 9, 9 upon each side of the centrally located pulley 6, are brushes 10,10 which extend to a height above the cylindrical body substantially equal to that of the beating'elements 8, 8 and which cooperate with those elements to dislodge the foreign matter carried by the surface covering undergoing cleaning, and in particular function to remove the light dust from the top of the pile. rlhe brushes 10, 10 are of the usual removable type comprising a rigid back with bristles carried thereby and are ada ted to be removably secured in any suita le fashion within the seats 9, 9 in a manner which forms no part of the present invention.

At each end of the agitator body 7, and interiorly thereof, is an end member or cup 1l which is rigidly carried by the agitator body in fixed relationship. Within the interior of each cup is a bearing comprising an outer race ring 12, which is non-rotatably seated in the cup, and an` inner race 13 which is rotatably carried by the outer race by means of balls 14, 14 etc. Within the inner race 13 is positioned a stationary stub-shaft 15 which extends beyond the end `of the body where it is provided with an enlarged counterboredend. Suitable packing 16 is positioned at the side of the outerl race between the extended inner racev 13"and the surroundf ing vwall of the cup 11 for the purpose of preventing the entrance of dirt into the bearing and for preventing the escape of the lubricant therefrom..y Suitable rings 17 and 18, carried by the stub-shaft 15 and the inner race 13 respectively, serve to ixedly position the seal. Carried by the extended and enlarged end of the stub-shaftl is a stationary end member 19 having a diameter,v

the agitator and particularly around the shaft 15 itself. l Thread guard 19 is spaced slightly from the end of the agitator and the space therebetween is interiorly connected, by bores 20, 20, to the counterbore within the end of each subshaft for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

Positioned within the nozzle l and car ried by each end wall thereof is a plate 2l suitably secured asby rivets 22, 22. Plate 21 is provided with a circular opening 23, which is alined with a similar opening 32 in the nozzle end wall, and from the plate immed1- ately adjacent the upper part of this opening 23 projects an arcuate arm or seat 24 which extends inwardly in the nozzle. The Seat24 has an inner contour which lies on a circle having a diameter equal to that of the enlarged end of the stub-shaft 15 of the agitator. A rotatable locking arm 25 is mounted upon the projecting arm 24 of plate 2l 1t being provided with an enlarged circular opening 26 which exactly conforms to the contour of the outer surface of that arm. Arm 25 is securely, yet slidingly held adjacent the plate 2,1 by projecting lugs 27, 27 which are provided on the plate 21 and extend at right angles thereto thru the opening 26 in arm 25 in a manner similar to that of the seat 24, being folded at their extremities to extend closely adjacent the opposite side of arm 25. Similarly an overlying lug 27a is provided at the top of platef21 which extends outwardly and down beside the arm 25 immediately over the seat 24. The arm 25 is-itself provided with an inwardly and upwardly projecting seat member 28 directly below the opening 26 which projects I lpwardly until its upper end contacts the 1maginary cylinder on which the inner surface of the seat 24 lies. Arm 25 is provided at its rear end and at a distance from its center of rotation with a transversely extending end 29 which extends under the end wall of the nozzle in the agitator-seating position, being received in a suitable recess 30` thereby serving to prevent the angular movement of arm 25, in one direction. A locking spring 31 carried at the rear wall of the nozzle contacts an overlying portion of the rear end of the locking arm to urge it angularly so as to secure the end 29 in the recess 30.

In the operation of the cleaner, the agitator is positioned within the nozzle 1 with the enlarged vcylindrical ends of the stubshafts 15, 15 firmly held up against the overhanging conforming seats 24, 24 of the plates 21, 21, by the seat members 28, 28 which contact them at a diametrically opposite point. Thru theseats 24, 24 being accurately alined and further thru their contacting surfaces exactly fitting and enclosing a considerable length of the ends of the stub-shafts those shafts are made ,to extend parallel to the seats and so 1n accurate alinement with each other.

With the stub-shafts 15, so alined the bearings in the cups 11, 11 of the agitator are subjected to no uneven stress or strain and the result is the equivalent of having a supporting shaft extending longitudinally thru the agitator. With the' agitator so positioned each end bearing is protected from the foreign matter which is always present within the nozzle, protected not only by the seal 16, but also by a stream of clean air which enters the nozzle thru the opening 32 in the nozzle end wall and passes thru the counterbored end of the stub-shaft 15, thru an opening and so into the space between the stationary ,end member or thread guard 19 from which it escapes around theV periphery of the agitator body. The passage of this clean air thru the spacel between each thread guard and the end of the'agitator body is of course due to the pressure-difference existing between the exterior and the interior of the nozzle and serves to prevent the deposition by the dirt-laden air of foreign matter atthat point. If it is desired to remove the agitator it is only necessary for the operator to depress the transversely extending ends 29, 29 of each locking arm 25, against the resilient .force exerted by the locking springs 31, 31, and the arms 25, will be rotated relative tothe plates 21, 21 until the seatmembers 28, 28 extend at one side of the stubshafts 15, 15 in whichvposition they no longer exert a force to retain the shafts against the seats 24., 24 and the`agitator may be removed downwardly thru the nozzle mouth, the'driv-- ing belt 5 having first been disconnected.

I claim: p

1. Arotary agitator for a suction cleaner comprising a hollow body, a brush carried -by said body, a bearing-receiving member positioned within each end of the body, stationary stub-shafts extended within said bearing-receiving members, bearings within said bearing-receiving members rotatably supporting said members, said body and said brush for rotation about said stub-shafts, andv a. stationarythread guard carried by each of said stub-shafts spaced from the end of the body,`characterized by the fact that said stub-shafts are bored at their outer ends and the space between said thread guard and the end of said agitator body is connected to said bores.

2. In a suction cleaner having a nozzle, an agitator positioned in said nozzle comprisy said body spaced therefrom and extending radiallybeyond` said bearing, said shaft being bored from its end to a point between said member and said body and there being a radial opening at such point, and means to support said shaft-with its end adjacent the aperlture in said nozzle.

Signed at North Canton in the county of Stark, and State of Ohio, this 5th day of January, A. D. 1931.

\` HARRY B. WHITE.

ing a rotary body provided With agitating means, a shaft rotatably supporting said body extended adjacent a wall of said nozzle, means supporting said shaft on said wall, said Wall being provided with an opening adjacent the end of said shaft, a stationary plate member carried by said shaft and extending radially therefrom adjacent the end of saidV body and spaced therefrom, and means connecting the space between said member and 

